# data[].attributes.headline
Q1. Do you think people in Singapore care about others beyond their own families, friends and communities they belong to?

# data[].attributes.subject
Q1. Do you think people in Singapore care about others beyond their own families, friends and communities they belong to?

# data[].attributes.body
Enter the names of your group members in the comments to this post.

# data[].attributes.headline
In your Home Group, share what you have learnt or discussed in your expert groups

# data[].attributes.subject
In your Home Group, share what you have learnt or discussed in your expert groups

# data[].attributes.body
After hearing from everyone in the Home Group, think about what you have learnt by answering the following questions:

1. What do you think motivates people to make a difference to others?

2. What do you think is needed to encourage more people to make a positive difference to our community? What makes you say that?

# data[].attributes.headline
In your Expert Group, read and discuss the assigned case study.

# data[].attributes.subject
In your Expert Group, read and discuss the assigned case study.

# data[].attributes.body
Then,
step inside the thoughts and observations of the youth featured using the following questions:

oWhat might this person/group see, observe or notice?

oWhat might this person/group know, understand or believe?

oWhat might this person/group care about?

oWhat choices did this person/group make in order to contribute to the community?

# data[].attributes.body
Enter the names of your group members in the comments to this post.

# data[].attributes.body
Enter the names of your group members in the comments to this post.

# data[].attributes.body
Enter the names of your group members in the comments to this post.

# data[].attributes.headline
Q2. How much do you care about others beyond your own families, friends and communities you belong to?

# data[].attributes.subject
Q2. How much do you care about others beyond your own families, friends and communities you belong to?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Some hawker stalls in the CBD area may have closed their shutters temporarily, after seeing their businesses take a hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But not for young hawkers Jason Chua, 28, and Hung Zhen Long, 27, who run a rice bowl stall called "Beng Who Cooks" at Hong Lim Food Centre.

The pair even started an initiative to serve food to anyone who is unable to afford meals - no questions asked.

An Instagram post, on the @bengwhocaresfoundation page set up for this initiative, calls for people to DM them to place meal orders if they were ''unable to put food on the table''.

Indeed, during this outbreak, jobs have been affected and some are facing financial difficulties. *For information on relief packages and schemes available, click

During the circuit breaker period, Jason recalls juggling both cooking meals, and replying to more than 500 texts a day. He received many donation enquiries too - not before announcing to his Instagram followers that the best way for them to help was simply to spread the word and order meals for those in need.

Pressing on despite difficulties

Not all was smooth-sailing - Jason and Zhen Long have been scolded by customers, and some have even taken advantage of their generosity.

Jason recounts an instance where he realised one of their regular beneficiaries who had been getting free meals for two weeks was not who he said he was, after he bumped into him at a private gym nearby.

These moments can be demoralising, but he says he tries to take these instances as a lesson learnt as they're still new to this.

He confesses that the finances are a challenge - the money he spent during the two months in Circuit Breaker comes close to their earnings in one and a half years.

But still, the drive to continue remains.
"At the end of the day, I just want to make my family proud"
The motivation for this initiative runs deep from Jason's own personal experiences. He recalls to a time when he was young and his dad was out of a job due to the financial crisis that hit Singapore. He recounts being oblivious to the situation as his parents did not tell him what happened then.

"My dad was hit pretty badly, but he didn't tell us. I was still eating fast food everyday. It was only when I was in secondary school that my mum told me how my dad was starving so much at that time.

These are the life lessons that help Jason press on.

During the Circuit Breaker period, Jason says he has spent more time with his parents. Through this, he has also realised that his parents have advanced in their years, and he feels the desire to make them proud. It further motivates him to carry on with this initiative.

Despite the busy-ness, he says his wife is still supportive. One of his most memorable moments was his wife telling him "you're always so busy, you don't even have time for me.... but, I'm proud of you, I love you".
Inspiring those in need
Many have stepped up during this time to help Singapore overcome COVID-19.

For more stories of youths who embody the #SGUnited spirit:

Find out how you can do your part for the community: sgunited.gov.sg

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
gov.sg | The Beng who gives out free packets of food

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
While most Singaporeans were hunkering down at home during the Circuit Breaker period - wondering which drama series to watch next, or when they would be able to meet their friends for bubble tea again - 23 year-old Rini Shazwani Roslan was out in the sun, running from block to block, distributing food to the less privileged.

For those affected financially by COVID-19, financial support like the Temporary Relief Fund and the COVID-19 Support Grant was welcome relief. But volunteers like Rini also help ease the financial burden of daily necessities and food.

"Volunteering is natural to me. Whenever I see an opportunity for me to help, I will always ask if I can be part of the team. I want to help."

Because of her desire to help others, Rini joined voluntary welfare organisation Jamiyah Singapore, as a Human Resource Executive a year ago.

This was not her first experience with Jamiyah FoodBank; she was part of the food distribution team in 2019. But 2020 would be so different - the Ramadan period was entirely within the Circuit Breaker. This meant that Muslim families would not be able to have iftar - the breaking of fast - and Hari Raya gatherings together with members outside their households.

Photo credit: Jamiyah Singapore

It was a harder blow for those living alone in rental flats. Many would have looked forward to the annual time of cheer, festivities and reunion, but were now faced with the prospect of celebrating Ramadan and Hari Raya Puasa by themselves. Some had also experienced a loss of job or income due to COVID-19.

You are not alone

Rini and her team from Jamiyah were determined that those badly affected should not feel alone during this time. They went door to door to over 500 households, distributing bento boxes so that they would have ready meals to break fast.

Besides bento boxes, during weekend before Hari Raya Puasa, they distributed special Meat-for-Eid hampers - festive packages that contained ingredients for Raya dishes - so that their beneficiaries would be able to enjoy some semblance of normalcy and festive cheer during this difficult period.

Whereas in previous years, beneficiaries could queue to collect the festive hampers at a centralised location, congregating in one location in the middle of a pandemic was not advisable.

"It was very much different this year... Because we had to personally visit the homes of the beneficiaries, and that required us to cover quite a bit of distance."

Running from door to door, carrying hampers that weighed about 3kg each on both hands, was no mean feat for petite-sized Rini. While trolleys helped to alleviate the load, the journey across multiple floors and different blocks in Bukit Batok ensured that they were exhausted by the end of the day.

Photo credit: Jamiyah Singapore

Once, pressed for time as they had a long list of households to cover before iftar, they were on the receiving end of a beneficiary's harsh reply, as their hurried knocking was misperceived as being disrespectful. Thankfully, the misunderstanding was quickly cleared up.

Despite these challenges, Rini pressed on.
Photo credit: Jamiyah Singapore
Not content with just a cursory 'Hi' and 'Bye', Rini often makes an effort to chat with them, asking how their day went, or how their health was. Older recipients often remark how grateful they are to have a listening ear.

She remembers fondly an encounter with an elderly lady. Her son had gone to work and she was alone at home. To protect seniors, which are one of the vulnerable groups most susceptible to COVID-19 infection, Rini had to maintain a safe distance - meaning she could not enter her home. However, it was clear to her that the hamper would be too heavy for the elderly lady to carry into her flat by herself.

Worried that her son would be back too late before she would have time to prepare for iftar, Rini helped to arrange for one of the elderly lady's close neighbours to share some cooked dishes with her, so that she would be able to break fast in time.

The gesture touched her deeply. Before Rini left, the lady earnestly made some doa (prayers) for her and her teammate, thanking them for caring for the less fortunate.

Photo credit: Jamiyah Singapore

It started at home

Rini attributes her love for volunteering to her parents and grandparents.

Growing up in a family of active volunteers, since the age of 9, Rini would follow her grandparents to the neighbourhood mosques and elderly homes to help out and spend time with the seniors there.

Her parents, whom she regard as the most generous people she knows of, also had a big influence on her. Her mother often cooks - not just for friends and family - but also for charity events, while her father would always go the extra mile to help those in need.

From following her elders as a child, volunteering eventually became her own way of life.

While working life meant that she would not be able to help out in mosques and homes as much as she used to, Rini tries her best to volunteer at Jamiyah's other outreach activities whenever the opportunity arises.

Asked if these volunteering activities take away precious personal time from her, she answers, "I have never really seen volunteering as an activity that will take up my personal time... Because I see that as my personal time."

She adds, "I really enjoy the satisfaction after meeting the beneficiaries and helping them out."

Asked about her hopes for young people like herself, she says she hopes more will join her in stepping up and giving back to society.

And it doesn't have to be grand gestures, she says.

"If we see an elderly person downstairs, feeling alone, we can make their day just by sitting down with them, talking to them. You don't have to be an active volunteer, going door to door, meeting a lot of people."

"The smallest act of kindness can go a long way."

Photo credit: Jamiyah Singapore

While COVID-19 has been dubbed the crisis of a generation, Rini believes that the key for Singaporeans to bounce back from it is to be united in our efforts, and to stand by one another.

While she acknowledges it is a tough period for young people now, especially those who are still without a job, her hope for her peers is that they would not lose sight of their goals and what they want to achieve.

"Opportunities do exist, even in this current situation."

"Keep an open mind, be kind and compassionate to others, because you don't know what they may be going through. Help other people - who knows, you may be helping yourself as well."

Volunteering her time has served as a reminder for Rini to always remain grateful for everything she has been blessed with in life.

Her message to her fellow youth: "I certainly hope that volunteering will have the same impact on you too!"

This article is part of a series of stories of Singaporean youth who have come forward to help the community, during this fight against COVID-19.

Many have stepped up during this time to help Singapore overcome COVID-19.

For more stories of youths who embody the #SGUnited spirit:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
gov.sg | Avid volunteer delivered meals to 500 families

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When home-based learning was introduced during the circuit breaker period, there was an urgent need to ensure that students from low-income households could access working laptops.

While the Ministry of Education loaned out more than 12,000 laptops and tablets (as of April 15 2020) to students who did not have sufficient devices at home, other groups in the community stepped up as well.

One of these was Engineering Good - a non-profit committed to engineering solutions for the local community.

It started with an innocuous Facebook post appealing for donations of laptops for a beneficiary. Soon enough, replies started streaming in - tens, then hundreds - and the phone was ringing off the hook with requests and donations.

The Engineering Good team buckled down to cope with the demand.

20-year-old volunteer Darin Lobo, a diploma graduate in biomedical science and a self-taught engineer, was in the thick of it.

"It went crazy at the start," Darin says, recounting the first two weeks of laptop repairs. "I would work 14 hours continuously for about three to four days, then take a break and come back to it."

Engineering for the good of the community

Darin's journey with engineering started when he was just 11 years old, after joining the maker community in Singapore. Through the community, he connected with like-minded individuals who were interested in building things, from websites to apps, with prototype tools like 3D printers, all in a Do-It-Yourself setting.

He slowly picked up electronics and engineering skills, learning from other members as he went along.

A friend then introduced him to Engineering Good, which started as a passion project to engineer solutions for the less fortunate. Some projects the organisation has worked on include low cost assistive switches for people with conditions such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy.

Then, the COVID-19 situation hit.

In order to stem the spread of the virus, home-based learning was introduced in all schools in Singapore.

The Engineering Good team stepped up to fill the need for laptops in the homes of students - particularly those from low-income housholds.

Thus the initiative Computers Against COVID was born.

Heart for hardware

Darin and team quickly set about repairing the donated computers: updating software, fixing hardware issues, installing the programmes required for home-based learning, and ensuring quality control.

The computers are then sent to the various beneficiaries through social workers, who assign them to those who need them the most.

The initial days were the most challenging for Darin. It was demoralising when multiple computers could not be fixed, and the mental exhaustion of doing repetitive tasks wore Darin out.

However, he soon learnt to pace himself and work sustainably. Futhermore, a helping hand was always near. When faced with a seemingly unsolvable problem, a WhatsApp message to the Engineering Good group would generate many ideas and solutions.

These past two months, Engineering Good has repaired and delivered over 2,000 computers.

100 volunteers, from different walks of life, undertake all manner of tasks from repairs to delivery and liaison with social workers.

Darin estimates that he has spent about 200 hours repairing laptops, a number he humbly dismisses as "not much of a big deal". Knowing that these repaired laptops would benefit someone makes all the difficulties worth it.

"It's an extremely tiny sacrifice taken by me. If I spend just an hour fixing a computer, that computer may help improve the life of an individual or family for potentially years," he adds.

"Initially, you're just repairing laptops, looking at pieces of hardware and you don't really think about the impact," he says.

"But after that, a lot of people send us 'thank you' notes and pictures of themselves with their laptops. That's when you start seeing that there is actually a significant impact there."
Inspired by maker community
Through his time in the maker community attending events, as well as volunteering with Engineering Good, Darin says that the community around him inspires and motivates him.

In the maker community, Darin has met "hundreds of people who are doing little things [to give back to the community] here and there".

Many have stepped up during this time to help SIngapore overcome COVID-19.

For more stories of youths who embody the #SGUnited spirit:

Find out how you can do your part for the community: https://www.sgunited.gov.sg/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
gov.sg | 20-year-old self-taught engineer puts in 200 hours repairing laptops for those in need

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It all started when 16-year-old Beatrice Wong picked up a newspaper article some time in early 2020, which reported a shortage of disposable masks.

She had also been having discussions with her family about the long lines outside pharmacies, with people looking to purchase masks.*This was prior to the Government's three mask distribution exercises. Read more here.

The Secondary 4 student from Greendale Secondary immediately thought about those who would have difficulty affording the face coverings, such as low-income families.

Reusable masks would come in handy for them, she thought.

And she quickly got to work.

Fortunately, Beatrice had picked up sewing skills from her grandmother since she was 12 - in fact, she had previously started a little home-based outfit called "My Ah Ma's Attic", which sold items like pouches and pencil cases that she had lovingly stitched together.

She chuckles, "I'm very skinny in person, so all my uniforms and skirts were always very loose. I would ask my grandma to mend it and make them tighter so they would fit me.

"My grandma was the one who passed her sewing skills to me so that I would be able to do it all myself, and I can pass this skill on to future generations."

But sewing reusable masks was quite something altogether.

Sewing masks from scratch

As any other young person would, she first turned to YouTube to figure out the steps to making a fabric mask.

"I learnt that you first needed to trace the template on the fabric, then cut it out. You assemble it together and then use clips to make sure they don't fly away. The final step is to sew the sides and add the strings so that the users can wear it comfortably," she explains.

The fabric she uses comes from a variety of places. Some came from bedsheets or clothes they decided to upcycle, while others were from a "stash of fabrics we like to buy and hoard at home", laughs Beatrice's mum, Brenda Lin, a homemaker.

Beatrice admits that she's got a perfectionist side - "If the lines are not straight, I would want to pick them out and sew them again. If it's perfect for the first time, I can get a mask done in 20 minutes, otherwise it can be half an hour to 1 hour!"

Together with her brother, Adriel, 12, and their mum Brenda, the Wong family has made over 300 reusable masks since January this year.

More time during the Circuit Breaker

It's no mean feat - especially since the Wong siblings both have major national examinations this year.

Beatrice is doing her 'O'-levels, and Adriel is doing his PSLE.

But the period of Home-Based learning during the Circuit Breaker gave them the extra time - and push - they needed.

"We couldn't do the outdoor activities that we used to, so the next best thing was to do something unrelated to studying, something not from their textbooks. It's a different type of classroom learning for them," says Brenda.

For one, Beatrice learnt the value of patience.

"By nature, I'm quite impatient, so I like to get things done quick and fast. But I realised thtat doing it fast would cause me to make mistakes. The lines won't be straight, or I would forget to change the colour of the thread, causing me to have to redo it," she says.

But making masks during their downtime was something that both Beatrice and Adriel embraced.

Notes Beatrice, "We have a schedule at home to follow, so during breaktime, instead of wasting time, sitting down there using my phone, why not use that time to do something even more meaningful, which is making those masks for those in need."

It's not Beatrice's first foray into helping others in the community.

She also does volunteer work with charity organisation Helping Joy, assisting beneficiaries to de-clutter and clean up their homes, enabling them to live comfortably.

Many have stepped up during this time to help Singapore overcome COVID-19.

For more stories of youths who embody the #SGUnited spirit:

Find out how you can do your part for the community: sgunited.gov.sg

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
gov.sg | Siblings sew and donate over 300 masks to the needy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The  "Beng" who gives out free packets of food

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Avid volunteer delivered meals to 500 families

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
20-year-old self-taught engineer puts in 200 hours repairing laptops for those in need

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Siblings sew and donate over 300 masks to the needy

# data[].attributes.body
Enter the names of your group members in the comments to this post.

# data[].attributes.body
Enter the names of your group members in the comments to this post.

# data[].attributes.body
Enter the names of your group members in the comments to this post.

# data[].attributes.body
Enter the names of your group members in the comments to this post.

# data[].attributes.body
I want to praise this guy for his steadfastness in his efforts to give back to the less fortunate during the pandemic by allowing them to keep track of their learning even when schools are shut

# data[].attributes.body
•she benefits nothing from this however she still volunteers during her free time maybe because to her, she knows there is not many people who volunteer and so she wants to help out within her means.
•its more of the joy and how she feels after seeing the smiles on the recipients faces.

# data[].attributes.body
If they always make a lost then how do they continue to give food

# data[].attributes.body
It is a feeling of satisfaction when people know that they are helping to make a positive change to others

# data[].attributes.body
Notice that cause of covid and all the online learning and work from home, people not fortunate, no money buy or repair computers. So they repair old computers to donate to the needy people.

# data[].attributes.body
He is doing good thing, he use up his time to help people fix their computer and electronic stuff and idk what else to say for the time being.  In other words, he use his time to help others so that they have more time to do things which gives them even more time and can use that time to appreciate and probably use that time to do meaningful things. Oh btw, the fixing is free of charge

# data[].attributes.body
Isn’t the food quality worse if they lose money

# data[].attributes.body
Make mask for the needy during the pandemic to help keep people safe

# data[].attributes.body
Losing money but still decided to give it their all and gave free food to the needy

# data[].attributes.body
I feel like people will look down on him because he has a lot of angkong and also he scold a lot of vulgar. This person will feel very hurt by all these assumptions and stereotyping, because he is actually a good person, losing money to help people. This Beng help to give out free food to the people and help them get back on their feet. He oso convinced a homeless man to get a job.

# data[].attributes.body
1. The person noticed that there were many people who are in need of mask when Covid hit.
2. They understand that not many people can have access to a mask daily and would need it to stay safe.
3. The care about the safety of the community
4. The sewed mask for people despite having to juggle between studies and this.

# data[].attributes.body
- the person might have observed that due to people not having the proper resources, they are prone to covid-19 and can die
- the person might understand that these people really need help and have a lot of compassion thus wanted to help these vulnerable people
- they might care about helping as many people they can
- they decided to spend their free time making masks instead of spending it on theirselves, or to relax.

# data[].attributes.body
- she would have seen the people she helped feeling touched and feel a great appreciation for her.
- she probably believes in helping others in need and knows that there are always people who need help.
- she might care about how everyone should have enough food to eat.
- she chose to take the time and effort to deliver the food to those in need

# data[].attributes.body
i feel that what this woman did was very impressive as i feel that volunteering is not something easy to do. she has a lot of empathy for families who cannot afford food and daily necessities, so she tried her best to contribute to the society.

# data[].attributes.body
The self taught engineer used his skills to help the less fortunate fix their laptops. I think he believes in helping the community not for the money but the gratitude that he gets back in return.

# data[].attributes.body
other than the fact that this is his hobby and its something he enjoys to do, the reactions of the beneficiaries probably motivates him the most to continue what hes doing. by seeing their appreciative reactions, he feels good about himself that he managed to help others and give back to the community.